Chapter Text
Everyone with working eyes could see that Sakura was anxious about something, he's not even trying to pretend paying attention in class anymore, he's just... There, biting his thumb nail and staring at his desk with empty eyes. Not even Nirei can make him speak about whatever is happening.
Aside from that, he took an special permission from Hiragi to skip patrol for a week, said he had to fix some things at home. Weird, knowing they have patrol one week a month.
And you may excuse them, but given the amount of time it took for him to fix the locks, they can't really believe he's fixing anything out of the blue.
One day, when both Suo and Nirei decided to waltz in and make him spit some answers, they looked at the building— It's... It's here? Am I dreaming Suo-san!?
The once rundown building was now having his fixed walls painted, and the garden is being neatly arranged with flowers and clovers covering the dirt ground— ...I think I know what Sakura-kun’s problem is —Suo said, walking up the freshly cleaned stairs.
When they knocked the door, surprisingly, Sakura opened. He looked as restless as one could expect— …Come in —he sighed.
Looking inside, everything was tidy as usual, but the boxes in a side felt dooming— Sakura-kun —Suo knelt in front of him—. Is the rent going up?
Sakura shrank in between his shoulders, his eyes looking down— Yeah…
—How much?
—Too much.
Suo hummed, placing a hand over Sakura's head as he thought. As much as a safe Makochi is wonderful for everyone, the truth is that a safer place is way more expensive than an unsafe one, more so when it comes to living— When is the rise going effective?
—…Two months —he said, not even trying to fight against the hand petting his head.
Nirei and Suo had no idea when Sakura got notice of this, but he was certainly exhausted— I, um —Nirei jumped in, but cut his initial idea—. I'm sure we can ask around too, Sakura-san! We'll find a new place for you!
—With only the shity maintenance my father gives me? —Sakura huffed— It's just, at this rate...
—You are not dropping high school, Sakura-san.
Both looked at the blonde, the severity on his tone left no room for argument. And the frown on his face was not an anxious one, it was the scary one he has whenever someone insults his friends— Nirei-kun is right, I'm sure we can find another solution.
As if he hadn't already looked under the rocks, or asked at anyone he could think of, he even asked around Keisei and the bar district, for fucks sake!
The last option is Furiren, but no amount of family vibe is dragging him back into an orphanage, no fucking way.
He doesn't want to feel like a lost kid again.
—Do you wanna sleep at mines today? I have some tea varieties I think you would like —Suo offered.
When Sakura confessed he didn't really enjoy tea, Suo made his life mission into finding one that fits his tastes. Which is proving to be hard, very hard.
—Nah, I still have to get things fixed if I want my deposit back.
For a brief moment, Suo couldn't hold character.
—You paid deposit for this-
Nirei jumped in— Suo-san that's rude!
—The lock was broken when he came in!
For the crime of not changing Sakura’s lock, Suo has been in a very open and very petti campaign against the woman, which certainly did not help in Sakura’s case.
—I-It doesn't matter now! —Nirei cut the argument— I promise we'll figure something out, ok? Don't worry!
He huffed— Whatever, I'll keep looking around…
And when nothing looks right, Nirei tends to fix everything the same way.
He throws himself over Sakura, wrapped him in a huge hug. And Suo, since he can't fix it right away, joined the hug. Saying that Sakura was tired enough to not get mad was more than enough for both of them.
Working meant dropping school, and leaving Bofurin too.
No one would want that, but… it's not like they can vent Sakura's poor situation to everyone in town.
Once they left, leaving Sakura to a much needed nap, Suo looked at Nirei— You had an idea, right?
He flinched— I-I? No, I have not-
—I saw you, Nirei-kun —he pointed out, trapping him—. What is it? Is there anything I can do?
—It's… I have to ask around a bit, ok? —he said, taking a deep breath—. But… yeah, I think there might be a way.
Suo’s expression was unreadable, as always, but had a soft confidence in it. The same it always has when it comes to his apprentice— …Can I leave it to you?
Nirei shivered under pressure like a fish outside of the water, but nodded anyway— Y-yes! I'll take care of it, Suo-san!
The taller laughed softly— Ah~ Nirei-kun is so reliable!
—I’m not… —For a second, he thought about Kiryu, how he said he should talk kindly to himself— I, I try my best!
And he did, even if Suo laughed at him more often than not.
It's going to be alright.
He’ll make it be!
He just needed to talk with Sugishita and get him to talk with Momijikawa… Which only someone as insane blessed by the power of friendship as Nirei would consider achievable at all. But Nirei might be skittish, but not a quitter, not at all. The next morning, he dragged Sugishita out of his morning bee line towards his desk to chat in an empty corridor.
—S-Sugishita-san, I know you hate to mend in someone else’s business, but I do really need the favor! —Nirei was ready to backpedal at the first change—. So, um, can I ask you something? It’s about Momijikawa-san…
Of course, he frowned. Since the beginning, whenever someone wanted to start some kind of gossip about Momijikawa, Sugishita reacted with violence. A particular brand of violence Nirei was yet to classify. It was between righteous and protective, even friendly. Not that Sugishita ever hided the fact that they are more or less childhood friends— …What’s it?
Just with that, Nirei felt his spirit up— I-! Well, I ask for someone, um, Momijikawa-san was looking for a flatmate, right?
Sugishita frowned, and he was about to ask where had he even heard that, but it had no point, Nirei’s sources come from the pits of hell— Yeah, he is —he said—. Who’s asking?
Both sat in a side of the empty corridor, and Nirei scooted even closer— Sakura-kun —he said—. His rent is going up, and was looking for a new place to stay.
He raised his eyebrows— Hm…
Nirei could see he was unimpressed, he couldn’t quite see the reason though, he wouldn’t scoff like that at Sakura’s situation. Sugishita stud up, looking through the window— Sugi-?
A loud whistle was heard, and Nirei quickly took his notebook to write it down. Such a whistle can be so useful! And it was so cool!
Someone shouted back from outside— Can’t you text like a normal person!?
—Maybe if you checked your phone, assholle! —Sugishita shouted back, just to look back inside—. He’s coming.
What the hell was that? He needed to write it too.
—Thanks, Sugishita-san!
His fist met his head, rubbing his knuckles annoyingly, but not causing real pain— Drop the “-san” already.
—Jeje~
Upon arriving, Momijikawa ignored the scene— What do you want?
With a soft kick on his back, Nirei stud up— M-morning! Um.
When he looked back for advice, Sugishita had vanished into thin air— What?
—Y-yes! I'm sorry, um, Sugishita told me you were looking for a flatmate? Maybe?
He knew Momijikawa’s face was just like that, that he wasn't actually mad, but he was scary anyway— Yeah, why, were you looking for a place?
Nirei shook his head— No, it was Sakura-san —he said—. I know you solved your differences but, I didn't knew were you were standing and everything, I didn't want to hype him up if you were going to reject him.
—Sakura... Haruka? Doesn't he live alone already?
…
Did he called him Haruka? No, no, he must be confusing him with some other Sakura, just that. They weren't on such good terms.
Were they?
—Um, I think the rent is going too high were he lives.
—Hm —he nodded—. Yeah, tell him to talk with me, I'm sure we can figure out something that works for both of us.
—Really!? I’ll tell him to look for you then! Thank you so much!
As always, Nirei made an exaggerated bow and left running. Now alone, Momijikawa turned to the corner Sugishita was waiting— Really? That idiot could land wherever and be welcome, I'm sure Hiragi’s mother would take him in on a whim.
Given the taste for the woman to take in the feral cats Hiragi brings home, Sugishita wouldn't be surprised at all.
—Too stubborn for that —he said flatly. But he had that accusatory glare Momijikawa understood uncomfortably well.
—You’re too nosey for someone so quiet —he complained, clicking his tongue—. I'll go back now.
Sugishita just huffed, going on his own way.
If he dared to be honest, he just wanted to know how a shared living would turn out for those two.
Knowing that they have the patience of a minefield.